DRK as a Barrier Tank

Obviously, DRK has some problems. A lack of physical damage reduction outside of TBN and a boring rotation are just two of those problems, and I feel that the best way to address these problems while maintaining DRK's status as a "Shield Tank" is by leaning into TBN and it's uses.

How would that work, you may ask? The answer is simple: Enhanced TBN, Oblation becomes a small shield with a lower CD.
Oblation: Shield of 15% health (TBN style) with 2 charges, 1000 MP cost. Restores 500 MP if not broken, and grants one Dark Arts if broken. Can be used on other players.
Enhanced TBN: Big changes, with the inclusion of a 1500 MP restoration if not broken and adding two charges of Dark Arts if broken. Cannot be used on other players.
Dark Arts charges can now be stacked. (Maximum of Three Charges)

I feel that these two changes would still encourage a similar playstyle with TBN across defensives, rewarding knowledge of fights with extra DPS, while providing an ability which maintains some momentum outside of TBN uses. These changes would also provide some recourse if shields are not broken, instead of simply punishing the player. This would also mean more actively pressing abilities outside of the 123 combo and BW / Delirium pop.

Tldr: Mini TBN, Buffed TBN, Half MP refund.

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Originally Posted by Not_Terry0

Obviously, DRK has some problems. A lack of physical damage reduction outside of TBN and a boring rotation are just two of those problems, and I feel that the best way to address these problems while maintaining DRK's status as a "Shield Tank" is by leaning into TBN and it's uses.

How would that work, you may ask? The answer is simple: Enhanced TBN, Oblation becomes a small shield with a lower CD.
Oblation: Shield of 15% health (TBN style) with 2 charges, 1000 MP cost. Restores 500 MP if not broken, and grants one Dark Arts if broken. Can be used on other players.
Enhanced TBN: Big changes, with the inclusion of a 1500 MP restoration if not broken and adding two charges of Dark Arts if broken. Cannot be used on other players.
Dark Arts charges can now be stacked. (Maximum of Three Charges)

I feel that these two changes would still encourage a similar playstyle with TBN across defensives, rewarding knowledge of fights with extra DPS, while providing an ability which maintains some momentum outside of TBN uses. These changes would also provide some recourse if shields are not broken, instead of simply punishing the player. This would also mean more actively pressing abilities outside of the 123 combo and BW / Delirium pop.

Tldr: Mini TBN, Buffed TBN, Half MP refund.

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I like it but for one of the shields I would like to see a dr (~15%) or HoT after the shield is broken since dungeons will still rip through the shields pretty fast.

I think reinforcing that identity is likely the most logical course of action now.
I was thinking of adding more charges of Dark Art too (maybe being able to hold up to 2 as well) and change Shadowbringer to be a Flood of Shadow+ when you have dark arts.
Though I considered fusing Oblation and TBN to an upgrade at 82, making TBN's shield reapply itself after being broken, with a -5%, up to 4 or 5 times. Each time giving a charge of dark art.
Maybe when the duration expires, you'd get MP back proportional to the amount of charges left too ? I feel like that'd make it pretty strong and in line with the other CDs. (Plus, replay the Oblation visual effect each time the shield reapplies, 'cause it's a very good looking effect)

For the sustain stuff though, not quite sure. Dark Missionary should increase healing received like RDM's Magick Barrier (after all a missionary is often a healer), and maybe do something with dark mind. Was thinking of making it a MP regen button, but maybe there is something else to do with it.

Otherwise, blood weapon HP drain. But since you're supposed to use it whenever it's back from CD, it may not make it a very flexible healing tool.

Such a bad idea.

Greatly increasing Dark Knight's barrier shields would make them better in dungeons but it would destroy raids.

Preventing damage will always be better than healing damage. Always.

This would make them the de facto main tanks for all raids. A main tank that takes very little to no damage at all? Yeah, main tank.

Did you even consider the effects this would have at all levels of play before posting?

Tank relying on damage shields instead of mitigation buttons would be a change of pace. More active mitigation is preferred instead of passive buttons every 30/60/90/120 seconds.

Edit: They really just need to bring Dark Arts back even if it's just to enhance defensives. Lack of sustain and very low amount of defensives hurts the job. And if the issue becomes a lack of MP then bring back Blood Price or rather reinstate Blood Price and let it evolve into TBN and give it the MP restore per hit.

Dark Knight really should be spending blood to get MP and spend MP to get blood. But whatever.

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Originally Posted by Xiaoki

Such a bad idea.

Greatly increasing Dark Knight's barrier shields would make them better in dungeons but it would destroy raids.

Preventing damage will always be better than healing damage. Always.

This would make them the de facto main tanks for all raids. A main tank that takes very little to no damage at all? Yeah, main tank.

Did you even consider the effects this would have at all levels of play before posting?

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No need to be so aggressive.
Could also be applied to someone else like it is now too. If it's just numbers to tweak that's fine.

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Originally Posted by Xiaoki

Preventing damage will always be better than healing damage. Always.

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WAR exists.

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Originally Posted by Absimiliard

WAR exists.

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Wars advantage was only Holmgang abuse in Savage/Ultimate raids, Dark Knights TBN seriously carried the raids it was no joke, it made DRK such a meta tank. DRK was picked far more in UCOB because of TBN, despite it's bad dps. For Eden it was extremely powerful.

Heavy barriers denying damage is a massive advantage in Savage/Ultimate raids, damage denying than reducing is a lot stronger in those contents, hell Sch/Ast barrier stacking was too much of an advantage over Whm pure healing, it saves far more healing and brings more DPS to the table.

People get excited about flat damage reduction, but as long as debuffs still apply through them, it's largely an aesthetic choice. HP boosts like Thrill of Battle actually go one step above and boost your eHP while providing some healing at the same time. They're just a bit less exciting because you don't get to see a 0 pop up.

What I would like the dev team to do is to take each tank in a different thematic direction without diluting these concepts across every tank. Could you design a tank which operates entirely on flat damage reduction instead of % damage reduction? Absolutely. Oblation, TBN, and Shadow Wall all look like they should be bubbles. Can you design a tank that operates entirely based around life-steal and HP total manipulation? Definitely. The easiest way to do this is to allow overhealing to create temporary HP, such that you line up your burst with damage spikes. Every tank does not need a bubble move. Every tank does not need a life-steal move. And maybe if these things were unique, individual jobs won't feel left behind for not having them. The DPS jobs feel like they have so much more variety.

For practical purposes, as much as I'd love to see DRK turn into Zarya, I'd be happy enough if Oblation could be a useful beneficial effect, and if Living Dead wasn't complete garbage.

Its a bad idea.

DRK problem is sustain. Giving more shields still doesnt address the problem of sustain.

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Originally Posted by Derio

Its a bad idea.

DRK problem is sustain. Giving more shields still doesnt address the problem of sustain.

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Though having Oblation be an HP shield isn't a bad idea...if it is changed to be given at level 50, thus giving us a lesser TBN in level 50-69 content.